Everyday meals
Iraqi dolma (mesqa'a)
Courgettes, aubergines and peppers hollowed out and stuffed with rice flavoured with meat and mint, simmered in a tomato and lemon sauce. A family dish served warm or at room temperature at festive meals.
Ingredients
Ingredients
Farce
Sauce
Spices & seasoning
Optional extras
On the side
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear, then drain it.
- Hollow out the courgettes, aubergines and peppers, leaving a little flesh on the walls; set aside the flesh you remove.
- Finely chop the onion, mint and parsley. Mix the meat, rice, onion, herbs, salt, pepper, cumin and cinnamon to make the stuffing.
- Fill the vegetables three-quarters full with the stuffing, without packing too tightly as the rice will swell. Close the courgettes and peppers with a small paper cone or a toothpick.
- Arrange the vegetables snugly in a large casserole. Dissolve the tomato purée in the stock, add the crushed tomatoes, lemon juice and the reserved flesh.
- Pour the sauce over the vegetables so they are just covered, cover and simmer gently for 50 to 60 minutes, until the rice is tender.
- Let it rest off the heat for 15 minutes before serving warm, with the sauce and yoghurt.
Variations and tips
Vegetarian version. Replace the meat with cooked red lentils and a little mashed chickpeas, using vegetable stock.
With what's available. If fresh mint is unavailable, use 1 tablespoon of dried mint added to the stuffing.
More ideas
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Iraq
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq
Iraq
Original Ecomely recipe.